Not too long ago, afternoon TV was smugly hyped as "the new prime time" when Channel 4 scored a ratings hit with Deal or No Deal and secured Paul O'Grady and Des Lynam for its teatime shows. Yet Deal (as it's probably referred to by its disciple-like contestants) is but a Waco-style siege in a Bristol Travelodge away from TV oblivion. Lynam was replaced by another Des, until he too got dropped. Mainstays Richard and Judy are departing this summer and O'Grady has all the entertainment values that you'd expect from a day-care centre run by former cast members of The Bill.

Far better than all of them is Come Dine With Me which currently occupies one of those post-Countdown slots. And it is worth shouting about. It is genius.

Where most TV programmes were created by using anything up to one actual idea, Come Dine With Me is a smorgasbord of different formats. It's a cooking programme, sort of: there's really no expertise involved. As Ricky Gervais would have it in his Extras Christmas special, it's also another opportunity to "wheel out the bewildered to be sniggered at". To me, that isn't a criticism.

Basically, five people are selected to compete for a cash prize of £1,000 by each hosting a dinner party for the other four. One is usually a psychic, medium, white witch or involved in some kind of "erotic" business. A sarcastic commentary keeps you up to speed as the hosts seemingly try to poison their guests (think the smashed prawns in a milky basket that Julia Davis concocted on Nighty Night).

Highlights have already included the old lady confused by the whereabouts of her gay host's wife, the bloke failing to pass off someone's swish pad as his own (he couldn't work the oven), the contestant who got a caterer to handle everything, lots of crying and Ulrika Jonsson (on the recent celebrity special). So far, it's a perfect appetiser - but would make an enviable main course should Channel 4 ever choose to serve it later.